


Home (Is Where The Heart Is)

by ObscureReference



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dimension Travel, F/F, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation Spoilers, Friendship, Kissing, M/M, Magic, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Unconsciousness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 20:39:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11112432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObscureReference/pseuds/ObscureReference
Summary: When Anankos met them in the heart of the great forest, he made it very clear that if they went with him now, they would never return home.What he had failed to mention, of course, was that they might not be able tostay.---“Wait—” Laslow’s heart leaped into his throat. “If you died and we’re here now, then—”Anankos straightened.“No,” Anankos said, his happy persona dropping for the first time. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to startle you. I assure you that you arenotdead.” He paused, hesitant. “At least, not yet.”





	Home (Is Where The Heart Is)

**Author's Note:**

> Everything I write is super self-indulgent, lmao. 
> 
> A few quotes ripped from/there are references to some Fates Supports here (for example, Xander and Laslow's A-Support, Laslow and Odin's A-Support, etc.) as well as the Hidden Truths DLC, so if you aren't familiar with those, there may be a few things you don't quite understand. You should be fine either way, but there are references to conversations that have happened in the past (in-game), so keep that in mind. When Odin and Laslow mention "friends," I name people who they can canonically reach a C-A or S Support with in-game, not just random characters. There are a few named and unnamed references to the future children from Awakening as well. Those are very brief.
> 
> If anything needs to be corrected, let me know! Thanks for reading!

Corrin swiped at the giant floating sphere of dragon eyes with the desperation of a woman who had been running herself ragged for hours. The blow connected, and Anankos roared. The sphere, ugly and menacing, shuddered. What was left of Anankos’ tainted shell shivered with loss, eyes rolling.

The sphere shook. It vanished, and with it went the endless drove of Vallite soldiers. The hostile atmosphere that had settled upon the battlefield suddenly lifted.

Odin nearly collapsed with relief and adrenalin, and he saw several others do just that. His heart was pounding, and a suspicious ache settled behind his eyes. It felt like they had been fighting for days.

He watched through the string of bodies as Corrin hesitantly lowered her sword. Nothing happened.

“Did we do it?” Elise asked loudly from somewhere on the right flank. Out of the corner of his eye, Odin saw Xander and Laslow standing on either side of her, swords drawn. He had no idea where Effie or Arthur were.

Lord Leo did not drop his guard at the sound of Elise’s voice, though he did go noticeably slack on his horse. Even Niles lowered his bow, even if his fingers did not loosen from the arrow he had nocked in his bowstring. They knew better than to relax so easily.

“Lady Elise!” There was Effie, sweaty and dirty but no worse for wear. “Are you all right? I am so sorry we were separated!”

Elise smiled, chirping something brightly in response, and everyone seemed to take that as their cue to relax. All around him, Odin saw soldiers tucking away their swords and spears. Mages hesitantly closed their tomes. A few of the older warriors had yet to drop their guard, but it was only a matter of time. Odin could feel it in the air. Anankos was gone.

Somewhere near the front, off to Odin’s left, Selena cheered. She was booming and proud and, best of all, alive.

“Yes! Take that! We won!” Odin didn’t bother looking for her yet, but he saw a flash of red hair in the distance. “Did you see how I totally beat that last guy, Lady Camilla? It’s a good thing I was here to help out.”

Camilla’s low chuckle traveled easily across the battlefield, and Odin finally let himself relax. All members of the royal family of Nohr were accounted for, and so were Odin’s friends. It was impossible not to hear Selena’s boasting, spotted with brief prods for reassurance, which Camilla happily gave. Laslow was quieter, but he made sure to flash Odin a thumbs up before turning back to his liege. There were flashes of others in the crowd—Felicia tripping over a fallen sword in her haste to check the wounded, Hinata stretching with a satisfied grin, Charlotte pretending to look delicate despite the blood on her armor, and Nyx glancing over her shoulder to check that the was no last enemy creeping up behind her. It was too early to tell just yet, but Odin couldn’t find anyone missing.

They were all dirty and disgusting and exhausted, but Odin couldn’t see any bodies on the ground. If they had truly gotten through the battle without any casualties, it was a miracle indeed.

Leo’s horse trotted over to Odin’s side. It was a big horse. Very loyal. It had kept Leo safe while they fought, so Odin was pretty grateful to it. He absently raised his hand to pet its side.

“Good boy,” he muttered.

Finally, Niles put away his bow. There was a tenseness in his shoulders that wouldn’t slacken until tomorrow. He never relaxed the day of a battle, but Odin already knew that. That was normal. Odin looked forward to falling into bed with him later.

He really did mean _sleep_. He couldn’t imagine doing anything after this besides sleeping, even if there was a meal or celebration to be had.

Odin took a deep breath, struggling to settle the nausea in his stomach. His head swam, but he hadn’t been majorly wounded. A few nicks and scraps here and there. A cut on his arm that would need to be checked out, but that could wait for now. It was exhaustion that had gotten the better of him so far.

“Was that all?” Niles asked aloud. There was a shallow cut on his forehead and dried blood in his eyebrow. “Perhaps dragons are not as strong as we have been led to believe if Anankos fell so easily.”

 _I know a girl back home that would beg to differ_ , Odin thought. It was a little risky, but he leaned against Leo’s horse a little more heavily than normal. The beast snorted at the extra weight but did little else. He was used to Odin by now.

Leo smiled down at them, weary. “Is that so? Perhaps I should send you on missions to vanquish dragons more often then. Solo, of course.”

“If you so command it, milord, it shall be done,” Niles said, though could both see how frazzled he looked. He wore a cocky grin nonetheless.

There was a beat. Both Niles and Leo looked at Odin.

Odin looked back. He didn’t know what he had missed.

“What, no comeback?” Leo asked, raising his eyebrows. “I thought you wanted more ‘worthy’ missions?”

Nile tilted his head, considering. “No quip about the great Odin Dark, dragon vanquisher?”

 _This is my second dragon_ , Odin thought. But of course he didn’t say that.

He opened his mouth to reply, but a fresh wave of lightheadedness swept over him as he did. He shut his mouth with an audible _click_. Odin’s knees buckled. Niles was there in an instant, hand on Odin’s shoulder. He slipped an arm around Odin’s waist when it became apparent he was not going to be able to stand on his own much longer. Odin was woozy and grateful.

Leo swung off his horse and was at Odin’s side in a flash. The horse backed up several steps, giving them room as much as it was trying to give itself space. Odin swayed. Leo quickly placed himself on Odin’s other side.

“What’s wrong?” Leo asked, face grave. “Where are you hurt?”

Niles had already begun examining Odin for obvious wounds. Odin shook his head.

“I’m not,” he muttered.

Leo grabbed his arm to inspect the shallow wound that ran the length of his bicep. Odin hissed lowly at the rough movement. He didn’t miss the way Leo looked to Niles.

“Poison?” Niles suggested. His arm was solid around Odin’s waist, unwavering.

Odin was shaking his head even as Leo’s eyes narrowed.

“Possibly,” Leo said. He was looking at Odin closely as though he could determine the effects for himself.

Odin shook his head again. “No.”

He knew what poison felt like. He knew what muck and acid felt like in his veins. This wasn’t it. Something was wrong, but it had nothing to do with a pitiful papercut such as this.

“ _Odin_ ,” Leo said.

Odin blinked. Leo wore the face of a man who’d just Odin’s name several times without a response.

“Odin,” Leo said again. He was close enough to kiss, and Odin would have leaned in under better circumstances. “You must tell us what’s wrong. What are you feeling?”

“I’m.” Odin swallowed. “I’m okay. I’ll be okay.”

Niles adjusted his grip.

“Bullshit,” he said bluntly. “You have the same look on your face as when I bite your—“ Leo glared. Niles coughed. “Except with less ecstasy.”

Odin was caught between a chuckle and a grimace. He did neither and instead swayed on his feet.

Everything felt… wrong. Distant. Disconnected.

“I— _ugh_.”

Odin’s knees finally gave out. Luckily Niles was there to sweep him off his feet, literally. Odin would have felt more embarrassed if he had not been so focused on not passing out. His head felt entirely stuffed with cotton.

“Lay him down!” Leo ordered.

There was no argument from Odin. Niles and Leo both helped lower him to the ground, though Niles was having a much easier time of it without the armor in his way. Niles helped support Odin’s upper body against his chest as Leo rushed to grab a concoction from his bag.

“Laslow!”

Had that been Lord Xander’s voice? It was difficult for Odin to pay attention to anything besides Leo and Niles’ faces swimming in his vision.

He heard Camilla calling for a healer, but then a sudden ringing in Odin’s ears overtook any other sound. Leo’s lips were moving, but Odin couldn’t read them. His vision blurred.

He blinked sluggishly. It didn’t help.

Leo turned away to flag somebody down, so Odin looked at Niles instead. He was lying against the archer’s chest, Nile’s arm around his torso keeping him propped somewhat upright. Niles’ face had gone nearly as white as his hair. He was careful to avoid the cut on Odin’s arm.

An unpleasantly familiar feeling tugged at the center of Odin’ stomach, just behind his navel.

“Uh-oh,” he rasped. He couldn't hear his own voice. Niles mouthed the words back at him, confusion and worry painted plain as day on his face. Leo whipped back around to face them. He said something, but Odin still couldn’t hear it. It was difficult to keep his eyes open.

The world went dark.

 

 

 

 

“Yes, you did quite well,” Camilla said for perhaps the tenth time. Selena had yet to deflate from the praise, and Camilla figured now was a good a time to heap compliments as any. They had earned it, after all. “As did you, Beruka. Just as I’d expect from my wonderful, darling girls.”

Selena beamed. Neither Beruka or her wyvern did so much as blink. Camilla smiled at them both.

She would have said “my darling retainers” once upon a time, but she felt those days were behind them. Beruka and Selena were still her retainers, of course, but they were also more than that. Camilla had never feared affection, but she could not be quite as obvious as she wanted to be with Father on the throne. He would have never approved.

Though, perhaps, now that Father was gone…

Camilla’s heart clenched. She swallowed the discomfort at the reminder of her father’s death. He had not been himself at the end. The real King Garon had died long ago. Still…

Now was not the time for that. Camilla could grieve later. Now was the time for celebration, if the satisfied set of Beruka’s shoulders was any indication. It wasn’t often both her girls were in such good spirits. They had earned a nice moment or two.

“Yeah!” Selena cheered. She pumped both fists in the air. “We should celebrate when we get back. Let’s get a cake and— _urk_.”

Selena’s arms dropped. She bent over, head bowed, hands pressed against her stomach. She had gone suddenly pale.

Beruka snapped to attention.

Camilla tensed. She couldn’t see any blood on Selena’s front, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a wound.

“What’s wrong?” she asked just as Beruka said, “Where’s the wound?”

They didn’t glance at each other. They were much too in sync for that. Selena wobbled on her feet. Camilla was already climbing off her wyvern while Beruka eyed Selena warily.

“I don’t know,” Selena said, her voice small. “I feel...”

Camilla’s eyes narrowed. Her feet found the floor. “Selena? Darling, what’s wrong?”

Selena’s eyes rolled back. She collapsed.

Beruka was so fast Camilla didn’t even see her leave her wyvern. Between one blink and the next, Beruka was crouched on the floor, Selena’s crumpled body in her arms. Beruka frowned. She looked to Camilla for guidance.

Suddenly, with Selena so quiet, she seemed twice as small.

“Elise!” Camilla shouted. “Elise! Come quickly!”

Her sister, young as she was, was still the best healer Camilla knew. She wanted nobody else at Selena’s side.

There was a grumbling through the ranks that Camilla ignored. She knelt at Beruka’s side.

“What happened?” she demanded. If anybody had seen an attack, it would have been Beruka. “Where was she hit?”

“No wound,” Beruka said shortly. She wasn’t looking at Camilla.

“No wound?” Camilla repeated. “Then what’s wrong with her?”

Beruka stayed silent.

Camilla wanted to destroy something very sturdy with her axe. She wished there were still a few Vallite soldiers lingering so she could hack them to death. She wanted to demand they fix her Selena, and then she wanted to disembowel them anyway.

But that would have to wait until after her love was awake, and so Camilla shoved those feelings aside.

“Elise!” she shouted again, not taking her eyes of Selena’s face. Where was her sister?

She took Selena from Beruka’s arms as gently as she could, brushing Selena’s long hair out of her face as she did. Selena was still breathing, and true to Beruka’s word, there were no obvious, life-threatening wounds that Camilla could see. Yet Selena was still unconscious.

Sakura suddenly appeared where Elise should have been, shaken and harried but at the very least determined.

“Sorry!” Sakura gasped. “Sorry! Elise is busy, but I’m here to help!”

In her arms, Selena grew impossibly paler. Camilla felt her grip tighten.

“What’s wrong?” Beruka asked. Straight and to the point as ever. Camilla didn’t miss the way she glanced into the crowd, looking for potential enemies.

Sakura was frowning before she even lowered herself down next to them. She waved her rod, but Selena didn’t stir.

“It’s the same thing—“ Sakura twisted over her shoulder as though she could see the patients from here. “They all have the same thing.”

“What is it?” Camilla demanded. She would feel bad about being so brusque with another royal later, when this was all behind them.

Sakura shook her head. “I don’t know. Those other two—they collapsed just a second ago.”

“Who?” Beruka asked.

Sakura frowned, genuinely regretful. “I’m sorry. I’m not that close to them. But… Laslow, I think. And Odin.”

Some part of Camilla wasn’t surprised. Those three had appeared out of the blue together and had been three peas in a pod ever since. If this sudden sickness was connected somehow, Selena would share it with no own else. Another part of Camilla was a little envious that those two were more connected to Selena than her, but it was an irrational envy. Selena’s health came first.

She looked at Sakura. She wasn’t Camilla’s sister, but she would have to do. She was respected in Hoshido for a reason. “What do we do?”

Sakura squeaked as Camilla and Beruka both turned their hard gazes on her. To her credit, she quickly recovered.

“I’m—I’m not sure,” she admitted, but she was already raising her rod again. “Let me try—”

Light flashed. Flower petals rained down. One landed gently on Selena’s face, but she did not stir. Camilla brushed it away, feeling sicker by the moment.

“Okay,” Sakura said, more to herself than anyone. “What about this?”

Another flash. If anything, Selena almost seemed to look _worse_.

Unprompted for perhaps the first time in her life, Beruka reached out and placed her hand over Camilla’s.

 

 

 

 

When Laslow collapsed, Elise had been walking away from her brother.

Nobody who had passed by was critically wounded, but that didn’t mean there weren’t injuries to be seen to. They had been lucky so far, but it wouldn’t do anybody any good if they let their small wounds get infected either.

Besides, the sooner they were given the all clear, the sooner they could make it back to camp. Today had been _so long._ Elise had never been a fan of fighting, but she knew it was necessary sometimes. Like when you had to kill a big scary dragon that was making you fight a bunch of people you should have been friends with instead.

Now the dragon was dead, the fighting was over, and very little stood between Elise and going home again. If she was a little eager to see to her patients and get this show on the road, then—

Well, there was nothing wrong with being eager to help, was there?

Except Elise had taken maybe two steps away from her brother when Xander shouted, “Laslow!”

She whirled back around. Effie was close, and Elise could hear the heavy clang of metal armor beside her as she ran back to Xander, who knelt on the ground with Laslow in his arms. Elise wasn’t sure if he had caught Laslow or if he had picked his retainer up off the ground. She thought he must have caught Laslow because Laslow had just been complimenting Elise, telling her that she looked so pretty in the dreary remnants of the castle, and she didn't know how he could have fallen so fast. He hadn’t looked hurt then. Had she somehow missed his injury?

She wouldn’t know until she knew. Elise skidded to a halt at Xander’s side.

“What happened?” she asked, already panting from the few short feet she’d ran to get back. Effie stopped at her side, ever the quiet yet vigilant protector.

Xander looked at Laslow, brows furrowed. Though unconscious, Laslow’s lips were pressed together like he was in pain.

“I am unsure,” Xander said. “He suddenly collapsed without any indication as to why.”

Elise crouched beside them to get a better look. Laslow didn’t _look_ very hurt. But better safe than sorry.

She waved her staff. A small cut on Laslow’s cheek scabbed over and some of his bruising lightened, but he didn’t so much as twitch.

Elise pursed her lips. “That’s weird.”

Xander’s deep frown somehow deepened. The worry lines on his face grew worse.

Effie placed her arm on Elise’s shoulder and squeezed. It was comforting.

“I will find Peri,” Effie whispered. Elise could tell how reluctant Effie was to leave, but she was glad Effie was finding others anyway. They needed the space.

Effie clanked off.

Elise raised her staff again and paused. She suddenly thought of Azura’s mom and Sakura’s dad and the way her staff hadn’t worked on them either. It was as scary thought and horrifyingly familiar to the way Laslow looked now.

Then Elise shook her head. Those people had been under the control of Anankos. They had been practically zombies.

“Elise?” Xander said.

If Elise hadn’t known any better, she would have said he was nearly _hesitant_. But he was Xander and confident and strong and that was impossible.

“It’s fine!” Elise said.

Laslow wasn’t a zombie. Elise had known him for a long time now. Anyone could plainly see how alive and human he was.

Besides, with the way Xander was looking at her now, Elise knew she couldn’t allow anything but her best.

She could hear Camilla was calling out for help too, but when Elise looked up, Sakura was already rushing over in that direction. Elise looked back down, pretending there wasn’t a monster gnawing a hole of worry in her belly.

She raised her staff again—to do it _right_ , to do it _perfectly_ this time—when she froze. As much as she wanted to stay calm, Elise felt her eyes go wide.

Xander followed her gaze. He stiffened. Elise couldn’t blame him.

There, under Xander’s hands, Laslow was going _see-through_. As in the _Elise could see the vague outline of Xander’s arm through Laslow’s body_ kind of see-through.

Elise dropped her staff.

“What’s happening?” Xander asked, voice full of kingly command. He wasn’t looking at her, though, which was good because Elise didn’t have any answers.

She blindly reached down for her staff. Laslow did not grow any more solid in the meantime.

“Uh-oh,” Elise breathed.

 

 

 

 

When Anankos met them in the heart of the great forest, he made it very clear that if they went with him now, they would never return home.

“It is taboo for humans to travel through time as is,” Anankos said. “Even I do not have the power to break this rule any more than I already have. That the god of this world had the power to transport so many of you… leaves me in awe.”

Anankos could take them to his world, but he could never return them to theirs.

He had given them a moment to talk it over amongst themselves, but it had been rushed. The first wave of enemies had been beaten, but more would encroach upon them soon. There was no time for delays, let alone for letters to be sent across the sea. There would be no time for official goodbyes.

If they left now, they would never see their friends or families again.

If they did not go, Anankos’ world would be doomed.

He was practically a god, but he had also stood at the foot of their castle and called out, “Please save my kingdom!” If he was truly a god, then he was a destitute deity. Which left him not unlike a man.

A man and a friend in desperate need of assistance.

Like Severa had said, they could tell when someone really needed help. And it was plain to see how much help Anankos needed.

Anankos had at least blessed them with graves for their parents in their original timeline, even if they could never go back to see them. It was more than they had ever hoped for.

“This is a heavy burden I beg of you,” Anakos said. “There will be no hurt feelings if you decide to back out now. I will not recant my gift to you.”

Even so, there was a tension in his shoulders that said _Please_.

Severa looked at Inigo. Inigo looked back. They each saw the same fears reflected in each other’s eyes. Owain had looked at the ground.

They thought of their mothers. They thought of the babies with their names sitting in cribs at that very moment. They thought about how they would have to leave, eventually, when those babies grew up. They thought of love.

Jumping through time and space was at least familiar, if achingly so.

Severa blinked. Hard. “Our parents gave us their blessing and their thanks.” Their real parents, still watching over them from the grave. From a land long lost. Her heart clenched. “I’ll… always cherish that thought.”

Inigo nodded. He swallowed.

“We’ve already received a better reward than we could have hoped for,” he said. Slowly. Like a bandage being peeled away from a cut.

Anankos waited. Owain lifted his chin.

“Let’s save the world,” Owain said. There was a hard line in his jaw and a determined look on his face. “Again. As many times as it takes.”

Inigo smiled grimly at that, and Severa felt those words in her heart.

Under his cloak, Anakos had nodded, grateful and relieved. “Thank you, warriors. I know this is too much to ask.”

And so they had been tossed across worlds for the second time in their lives. Owain, Severa, and Inigo died, and Odin, Selena, and Laslow were born.

And now they were dying again.

 

 

 

 

Laslow opened his eyes.

For a moment he thought he was lying in a field in Valla. It was an easy mistake to make, he thought; there were large chunks of rock floating in the air, as well as a strip of sky that Laslow eyed suspiciously, unsure if it was truly sky or instead part of a lake. The grass underneath his back felt softer than anything he’d felt in Nohr, and he knew he was nowhere near Hoshido. It wasn’t hard to believe he was still in Valla.

Then he titled his head back and caught the eye of the very dead, very human Anankos.

“Ah!” Laslow flipped himself over and scrambled to his feet. He moved much faster now that he wasn’t feeling so woozy. “Mr. Anankos! Are you... you?”

Laslow squinted at the robed figure in front of him, though it didn’t particularly help him determine the truth. Anankos chuckled warmly though, and with that sound Laslow relaxed. The human version of Anankos had always exuded warmth and friendliness. He doubted any evil, draconic version of Anankos could radiate the same amicable aura.

“I am indeed myself thanks to you three,” Anankos said. A wide smile stretched under the brim of his hood. “I felt the moment my physical form was vanquished. Finally, I will no longer harm anyone else. The curse on my kingdom has been lifted. I am glad to have placed my belief in you. Thank you, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart.”

Laslow’s smiled so wide he felt his face might split in two. He felt warm all over, and it wasn’t just from the praise. It had taken longer than he would have liked, but he felt good on fulfilling his promise. They had saved Valla in the end after all.

Anankos had been the second dragon Laslow had ever fought, but he hadn’t been any easier to deal with. Still, knowing a part of Anankos had been suffering while the rest of him rampaged—it felt good to know Laslow had been a part of easing that suffering.

“Of course.” Laslow grinned. “It was only right. I’m glad we could help.”

“Wait, what?” Selena said.

Laslow jumped. He twisted to find Selena standing only a few steps behind him, arms crossed. He hadn’t noticed her there before.

Off in the distance, a thin waterfall ran down the side of a mountain, almost entirely vertical. The sky shimmered, reflecting the waves of grass below. Weird geography aside, this place was nice.

Laslow blinked. “When did you get here?”

Selena shifted her weight to her other foot and looked at Laslow like he was stupid. “Does it matter? Where even _are_ we?”

“Seriously,” Odin added, incredulous.

“Ah!”

Laslow jumped again. Odin had suddenly appeared on his other side. The mage was craning his neck to get a good look at the surrounding area. His eyes stopped on Anankos.

“No offense,” Odin said slowly. “But didn’t you, you know... die?”

“Yeah,” Selena added, eyeing Anankos suspiciously. “What’s going on?”

“Where did you guys even come from?” Laslow asked. They both ignored him.

Once he was assured nobody else would be popping out of the woodwork, Laslow unwound. Now that he thought about it, Selena had a point. If this wasn’t Valla—which it couldn’t have been, if the human Anankos was here—then where were they?

Anankos chuckled again, no less warmly despite the suspicion now aimed his way. “Yes, that’s quite right. I’m afraid I did die, yes.”

“Wait—” Laslow’s heart leaped into his throat. “If you died and we’re here now, then—”

Anankos straightened.

“ _No_ ,” Anankos said, his happy persona dropping for the first time. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to startle you. I assure you that you are _not_ dead.” He paused, hesitant. “At least, not yet.”

Odin yelped at the same time Selena dropped her arms to her sides and cried, “ _What?”_

Laslow froze. A weight like an anchor sank to the bottom of his stomach.

“We’re _dying_?” Odin repeated, coming over to Laslow’s side. He placed a hand on Laslow’s shoulder without tearing his eyes away from Anankos. “But Niles and I—Lord Leo needs—”

Selena was no calmer. “What about Lady Camilla? I still have to escort her back to the castle! We’ve _barely_ just won!”

Anankos raised his hand placatingly. Selena and Odin reined themselves in. Barely. Laslow could practically feel his friends vibrating beside him. It was difficult to breathe.

He licked his lips and attempted to smile, though he was sure it appeared more like a grimace. “I know you told us this would be dangerous, but I’m afraid I don’t remember being fatally wounded recently.”

“Me either,” Selena said. Odin nodded in agreement.

Anankos shifted his weight. It was very human of him.

“I’m afraid that might be my fault,” he said.

 

 

 

 

Odin’s head had lolled against Niles’ shoulder as the archer had propped him upright. Niles’ arm wrapped around Odin’s back, hand resting on Odin’s bicep, supporting him. Odin’s face was half hidden in Niles’ neck.

Odin didn’t look pained. He didn’t look content. He didn’t look anything.

He had fallen unconscious nearly two minutes ago, and Leo’s heart had been ice ever since.

He squeezed Odin’s limp hand and shot an unrepentant glare at the two healers standing over his shoulder.

Felicia cowered. Azama did not.

“Would somebody like to tell me,” Leo said, readying himself mentally the same way an archer readied a ballista. “why nobody here seems to have any idea of what’s going on?”

Azama had taken a long look at Odin before waving his rod a few times and cheerfully announcing that there was nothing to be done. Niles had practically growled, and Leo had all but snapped his head off right then and there before Felicia stumbled over. She’d gone through the same motions before haltingly announcing the same futile conclusion. There was nothing to be done. They were at a loss.

Felicia teetered on the edge of tears. “Lord Leo, I… I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“Look on the bright side,” Azama said, his obnoxious smile never leaving his face. “If we ever do figure it out, we can name this disease after your beau. He might have perished by then, but still. That’s quite an honor.”

Normally Leo might have reprimanded one of his subjects for such accusations and such blatant disregard for privacy, but Leo held his tongue. This wasn’t the time or place for a conversation such as that. Besides, he had a feeling Azama was the type of man to bring Leo's love life up again if he knew Leo had let it get to him.

In any case, he wasn’t wrong. Leo had tried to keep his relationship with Niles and Odin on the quiet side for a number of reasons, but after traveling together for so long, it wasn’t a long shot to assume a man as smart as Azama had picked up on a few things. Leo wasn’t sure he could keep his composure for long in a situation like this anyway. People would find out one way or another.

Azama’s utter disrespect for his job and Odin’s _life_ , however, was another matter entirely. 

Niles glanced at Azama, his glare as sharp as his tongue. He held Odin close, and Leo was sure it was only that and the look Leo sent him that kept Niles in his place.

“You’re treading in dangerous territory,” Niles warned. Any patience he held previously had fled around the same time Odin had hit the ground.

Felicia squeaked. She took a step back.

Azama hummed, probably dangerously close to pointing out that Leo was not his liege, but he shut up after that. Good.

The army at large was still in the area, but they were giving Leo a wide berth. Something similar was happening to his sibling’s retainers, but Leo couldn’t wrench himself away from Odin’s side. Not when he wasn’t sure what was going to happen. If anything important developments, somebody else would inform him.

“I don’t understand,” Leo muttered, scanning Odin’s face for any sign of something _, anything_ that would explain what was going on. His search yielded nothing but Odin’s lax face. “What happened?”

Niles caressed what little of Odin’s skin he could touch, stroking Odin’s arm with his thumb through a hole in Odin's sleeve. After a beat, he said, “To be fair, Odin always did have mysterious origins. Perhaps this is merely part of his mystique.”

The joke fell flat, but Leo appreciated the effort. Leo was still holding Odin’s hand, and Niles had placed his free hand on top of theirs. Niles’ rough palm felt reassuring against Leo’s skin. If Azama was still watching, he didn’t give any indication of it. Leo’s world had begun to shrink to the two men in front of him.

“Perhaps,” he said. “Perhaps he will wake up just as mysteriously.”

Given how useless it seemed traditional healers were, a miraculous recovery was possibly their only hope. After a thousand impossible things Corrin had revealed recently, Leo didn’t think another miracle was too much to ask for.

They had just defeated a _dragon,_ for goodness’ sake. Didn’t they deserve it?

“Quite possibly,” Niles said. Leo didn’t think Niles believed what he was saying any more than Leo did.

Leo breathed in and closed his eyes. He focused on the feel of Niles and Odin’s hands in his own.

He’d had Niles long before Odin had ever appeared, and Leo had been content with that. He’d been in love with Niles. He was still in love with Niles now, perhaps more than ever, but he hadn’t noticed the gaps that had needed to be filled until Odin had appeared.

Perhaps not gaps. Leo hadn't felt he was missing anything with Niles. But when Odin had wormed his way into the crevices between them, Leo had to admit it had felt quite nice. 

Not that Leo had loved Odin at first. Far from it, actually.

Leo had been at first irritated, later impressed, and then, after a time, admittedly charmed. Niles had always loved a good mystery as well, and as much as he complained with Leo at the start, Leo had not been blind to how Odin had grown on him as well. To cast either of them aside now was like severing a limb; Leo could not bear it.

They were his protectors to the public, his suitors behind closed doors, and his best friends to any who knew him.

It was very possible he was going to lose one of them, here and now.

Leo had never been more useless.

Niles shifted, squeezing Leo’s hand. Leo shuddered. He felt settled.

“He’s only been out for a minute,” Leo said. His voice was more solid than he felt. “Let’s just give it some time.”

Suddenly Niles sucked in a sharp breath. Leo’s eyes shot open.

For a moment he swore Odin was _glowing_ , which was impossible. Then he realized Odin _was_ glowing, and he was very much fading away before Leo’s eyes. Literally.

Tiny flecks of blue light lifted from Odin’s skin and fizzled out in the same breath. They left no holes in their wake, but Leo was not comforted by the fact he could see the shadow of Niles’ arm through Odin’s chest.

Odin was becoming translucent.

He was fading from this world.

“Milord,” Niles said lowly. He used a tone Leo didn’t recognize—exhaustion, despair, and resignation all in one. It didn’t suit Niles at all.

At the very least this explained why the healers couldn’t do anything.

Leo would have been much happier with anything else.

 

 

 

 

“Lady Camilla,” Beruka said, voice low. Her fists were clenched, her face withdrawn. Any passing fool might have thought Beruka looked too put together to care about Selena, but Camilla knew better.

Camilla saw it all. Selena glowed in the moonlight, and she was beautiful. She would have been more beautiful if she had not been fading from Camilla’s clutches one drop at a time.

Somewhere in her periphery, Camilla registered the sounds of her beloved Corrin conferring with Azura, asking if there was anything to be done, but from what little Camilla could hear the search sounded fruitless. There had been a curse on the kingdom of Valla that would cause any who discussed it outside its borders to disappear, but Azura didn’t understand why that magic would be at work here. Anankos was gone. A different magic must have been afoot, but whose, no one knew. Nobody knew what to do.

Camilla would have chained Selena to herself for the rest of their lives if it meant she stayed. As it was, she couldn’t do that. So she did the only thing she could think to do.

She loved.

Camilla bent over, pressing Selena’s forehead against her own. Her eyes stung.

“Selena,” Camilla said into Selena’s skin. “If you can hear me, darling, I need you to wake up.”

“Lady Camilla,” Beruka said. She stopped herself. Beruka’s mouth was a hard line.

Camilla closed her eyes and steeled herself. She was a princess, and they were still in public. Though a large part of her was finding it hard to care at the moment.

“Selena,” she repeated. Camilla could have counted on one hand the number of times she’d ever begged, and none of them had been like this. “Please.”

She kissed Selena’s cheek, featherlight. Selena was soft and unmoved, but it felt like opening the floodgates. She peppered Selena’s face in kisses—her cheeks, her nose, her chin, her eyelids. Logically, she knew that her kisses meant nothing, but every press of her lips against Selena’s skin made her feel slightly better. She imagined giving a bit of herself in every kiss. That perhaps her lips would stain Selena’s skin, connecting them evermore. That parts of Camilla could fill the parts of Selena that were vanishing and everything could be okay.

It was a childish hope, honestly. Entirely unbecoming of someone of her status. But Camilla suddenly didn’t feel like steely royalty and a hardened warrior anymore. She felt small.

They had come so far. That things would end up like this, so pointless and unexplained…

Camilla had always known the world was unfair and only the strong survived. She had just let her guard down for a moment. The world had gotten the better of her this time. It would never surprise her like this again. She swore it.

She swallowed the tears that threatened to prickle at her eyes and kissed the corner of Selena’s mouth.

Beruka, without Camilla noticing when, had taken Selena’s limp hand in her gloved one. Without looking at Camilla, she slowly lifted the back of Selena’s hand to her mouth. Beruka’s kiss was chaste. Camilla felt her heart crack just a little more anyway.

 

 

 

 

“I told you before,” Anankos said. “that time travel and inter-realm travel was expressly forbidden.”

“Yeah?” Selena prompted. They had done it before, though, under dire circumstances. She figured if they had been allowed to hop through time to save the world once, then they were allowed to hop into a new world to save that one too. It wasn’t _that_ different. It was still magic and power.

“In order to… bypass some things,” Anankos continued, his fingers fiddling with the edges of his cloak sleeves in a way Selena hadn’t remembered him doing the first time they’d met. “free travel between realms was not possible. I could not open a portal through space and time as freely as the god of your realm once did.”

Selena barely remembered the ritual Anankos had used to transport them to his world. It had been a long time ago, and her memory was hazy. If he had done something _weird_ , friend or not, she was going to be _very_ upset.

Anankos said, “Instead, I tied what you might think of as a string between myself and you three. A magical string, of course. Invisible to the naked eye. You might think of it as a thread of fate.”

“Ok _ay_ ,” Odin said, drawing out the “ay” sound. Laslow looked skeptical. Selena drew an imaginary line connecting the four of them together in her mind, wondering where this was going.

“When I returned to Valla, I was able to take you three along with me by pulling on that string as I went. That string is what tied you to my world. Even though my human form was cast off from my dragon form, we were still connected. In the eyes of the universe, we were still the same.” He paused to let this sink in. “So when I died, the connection between us—between you three and I—transferred to my dragon self. Therefore, at that time, you still had a connection to my world. That is what allowed you to stay in that realm for so long, despite not originating there.”

Selena could see where this was going. When they had killed the dragon Anankos, they had cut the string the connecting them to that world. But then what did that mean? 

She scowled. It would have been nice to have been told in advance that killing the villain was going to kill them as well.

The human Anakos shook his head as he spoke. “Humans are not meant to travel between realms. It can be done temporarily, but it requires great effort to stay for a long period of time, especially on a more permanent basis. Humans need something to tie them down. When you killed my dragon self, you severed the string tying you to that realm as well. Your bodies don’t know what to do with themselves anymore. Nothing is tying them to that realm. You are wavering between worlds.”

They were like kites in the sky. Anankos had been holding one end, keeping them grounded, but he was gone. The wind was pushing them around now, and they were helpless to resist it. At least, that’s how Selena understood it.

Being a victim of circumstance pissed her off. But honestly, it was a little scary too.

She kicked the grass, sending a clod of dirt flying. It pissed her off even more that Anankos looked like he’d been expecting it. She wasn’t sure she understood everything he’d said but—

“Why didn’t you tell any of us this sooner?” she complained. “Don’t you think we had a right to know if we were going to disappear once this was all over?”

Even with the cloak covering his face, Anankos looked suitably ashamed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think I would be killed so soon. When the tie between us transferred to my dragon form, I had hoped the connection would have spread beyond the four of us as well.”

He looked straight at her. “I am sincerely sorry, Selena.”

Part of Selena deflated. He was so remorseful it was hard to stay mad.

“I thought you said we _weren’t_ dying?” Laslow asked. He was trying to keep it together, but his smile was obviously strained. Selena didn’t get why he had to be such a faker all the time. Especially now.

“You aren’t dying _yet_ ,” Anankos said. “There are a few things that can happen before then.”

“Like what?” Odin asked.

“Three things,” Anankos said. “The connection between myself and you three has been severed, but there are other connections you have made in the past. These are not as dimensionally binding, but they have been forged of your own making. These are the connections between the people you’ve met. Your family, for example.”

Selena’s heart leaped into her throat the same way it did every time she thought of her mother.

 _Not now_ , she thought, willing herself to calm down. She had never been good at that. After all this time, the thought of her mom still made her flustered.

Anankos continued like he hadn’t noticed, but she thought Laslow and Odin were wearing similar expressions of apprehension at the mention of their families. Hadn’t Anankos been the one to say they could never see them again? Where was he going with this?

“These are strong bonds,” Anankos continued. “It is possible that they may still anchor you to a realm. They might bind you to the place your parents are.”

That didn’t make sense.

“I thought you said we’d never get to return home,” Selena said, her throat parched. She felt Odin’s eyes on her.

Anankos nodded. “I did say that. That is because it is unlikely to happen. Due to the distance between realms, those strings connecting you are strained. Distant. There is a small chance, however…”

Laslow jumped at Anankos’ hesitation. “A chance for what?”

Anankos paused before answering.

“There is a small chance you may end up in the realm I took you from,” he said. “If the connections you hold to that world are strong enough, you may find yourselves back there instead.” Laslow opened his mouth to say something, but Anankos cut him off. “I warn you that this is only a s _mall_ chance. It has less to do with the people you’ve left behind and more with how thin the barrier between realms is at this time.”

Odin cocked his head. “Does the barrier between realms wax and wane often?”

“Sometimes, depending on certain circumstances.” Anankos shook his head. For some reason, Selena got the impression he was tired. “But I have no way of knowing that anymore. I am but a fraction of what I once was.”

“What happens if we don’t end up in the world you took us from then?” Selena asked. The world where their parents were still alive, not the one that only held graves. “Are we just going to disappear?”

The thought made her throat clench. Odin and Laslow shared a troubled look.

“You might,” Anankos said, confirming her great fear. “That is the second possibility. It is possible you may stay here with me in this realm among the stars. Then you would truly be dead, as you guessed before. I would be honored to have such great companions such as yourselves, of course.”

“Not that I don’t like you and all,” Selena said. “But hard pass.”

Odin jumped in. “What I think my kind companion meant to say was that, while it would be an honor to adventure among the stars with you, our lives are not over yet.” He paused, a look of fear flashing across his features before he schooled himself again. “We still have time, right? Our lives _aren’t_ over yet?”

Selena was just as eager to hear the answer. She didn’t think she could cross her arms any tighter than she already had. It felt nothing like the way Camilla and sometimes Beruka would hold her.

Anankos chuckled, his voice rich and low. “No offense is taken. And yes, your lives are not over yet. There is still the third option.”

“Which is?” Selena prompted. This explanation was taking forever. She wished she just knew what to do already.

“It is possible that the connections you have made here are enough,” Anankos said. “You have spent several years in Nohr now. If you have become close to others there, then this may be your greatest chance for survival. That is what I had originally hoped would happen for you after I died. Granted, I had hoped it would be a little more… smooth than this.”

“If our connections here are so strong, then why did we wake up here?” Odin asked.

“Because you have to choose it,” Anankos said.

Selena’s frown deepened. “Excuse me?”

“A connection—a thread of fate—is a two way street,” Anankos explained. “Your very souls are wavering between worlds. Someone on the end of that connection must want you to stay. In turn, you must choose to stay as well.” He lifted his hands, pressing the tips of his pointer fingers together. “If the connection is strong enough and individuals on both ends wish for the same thing, you may stay.”

Odin tilted his head, considering. Selena could see him biting the inside of his mouth.

“And choosing to stay in Nohr would be our greatest chance for survival?” he asked.

“Yes,” Anankos said. “If you do not, you may end up among the stars with me. If you choose to try to reach your original realm instead, there is only a small chance of success, in which case you would end up staying here with me anyway.”

So those were their three options. Go home _(maybe)_ , die, or stay in Nohr.

Selena wanted to go home.

Gods, she _ached_ to see her parents again. She missed Noire. She missed Kjelle. She missed Ylissian clothing and architecture and the way the language sounded on her tongue.

She missed her mother. She missed her father. She wanted to say goodbye the way she never had the chance to before.

But she wasn’t an idiot.

She cleared her throat, hoping her voice didn’t waver as much as it felt like it would. “Sounds pretty clear cut to me.”

Laslow’s head whipped around to look at her. “Really?”

Odin looked at him, frowning.

“Of course,” he said. “Our biggest chance of survival is if we stay here.”

“But we don’t _know_ that,” Laslow protested. “We might go home.”

Selena flung her arm out and pointed at Anankos, who, for a man with a hidden face, suddenly looked very conflicted at being caught in the middle of all this. “He _just_ said it. We can’t jump between realms again.”

“There’s a chance,” Laslow said.

“A _tiny_ chance.”

“We’ll die here,” Odin said.

Laslow said, “We might not.”

Selena growled. Laslow just _had_ to go and make things difficult, didn’t he? Didn’t he know that she wanted to go home too? But she wasn’t hopeless enough to throw everything she had away on a what-if. Maybe she would have a few years ago, but she hoped she had grown since then.

Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe she was just as stupid and hopeless as she had been when they’d first arrived in Valla.

But even if she was stupid and hopeless, she was still the best, and Lady Camilla needed her.

Didn’t she?

She felt the hard line of her shoulders fall just a bit, and she knew Odin had noticed. He looked at her, eyes wide. He looked almost betrayed.

Selena made a face. Just where did Odin get off, judging her like that? Didn’t he know how hard this was for her? Why did he have to look at her that way? Gods.

Anankos cleared his throat.

“If I may,” he said. “I thought you might like to know how the people you left behind are reacting before you made any final decisions.”

“You can do that?” Odin asked, voice awed. Selena shot him a glare before he could start asking obnoxious questions and monologuing.

“I may have lost most of my power when I lost my body,” Anankos said. “But even spirits may watch over the living.”

He waved his hand. Three portals appeared in the air. They were about the size of a full length mirror, and on them were several very familiar faces.

“This is happening right now, in real time,” Anankos said. “These act like a window into the world of the living.”

Laslow wrinkled his nose. He peered into the portal on the left. “Do I really look like that?”

The other Nhorian royals were in the other two windows, but Selena was only concerned with the one in the middle.

“Lady Camilla!” she shouted.

Anankos shook his head sadly. “She can’t hear you.”

Camilla was cradling Selena’s limp body—her _real_ body, not whatever she was using in whatever spirit world she was in now—pressing kiss after kiss against Selena’s pale face. She brushed Selena’s hair out of her eyes, catching her fingers in some of the tangles and then detangling them. She kissed the shell of Selena’s ear, not caring that Selena was dirty and grimy from the battle. Camilla was too.

Beruka knelt next to Camilla and Selena, and ever so slowly, Selena watched as Beruka’s knuckles whitened around Selena’s hand. Her lips barely moved, but Selena swore she could hear her voice anyway.

“This mission is not yet over,” Beruka said. Her eyes fell shut. “So wake up.”

Selena’s knees felt weak. She swore her legs would buckle. She wanted to jump through the portal right then and there to apologize, but when she reached out, her palm hit the surface of the portal as if there were glass.

Gods, how had she ever considered leaving them behind?

Something settled in her chest.

“Selena?” Laslow said.

She blinked.

 

 

 

 

Selena opened her eyes.

Somebody gasped.

 _“Oh_ ,” Camilla breathed. “Selena, darling.”

Selena groaned. She felt gross. Camilla’s eyes were wet, which made her feel worse.

She felt a little better when Camilla pulled her close, murmuring soft things into her skin, but then she remembered that she was the reason Camilla looked so upset in the first place and felt bad again. It was the worst. She wasn’t sure what to do with so much attention like this.

Beruka sat stiffly to her left. Selena would have had trouble telling her apart from a statue if not for the way her eyes tracked every miniscule movement Selena made.

“Sorry,” Selena said. She had expected to feel worse after almost disappearing or whatever, but in reality she just felt tired. “That was… dumb.”

She wasn’t sure what to say. How was she expected to explain all of this to everyone? Odin and Laslow had never mentioned the whole “traveling from another world” thing to anyone else either. They’d been told not to. Was now the time to come clean? Or was she just supposed to play it off?

“What?” Camilla said, furrowing her brows. “Selena, you nearly vanished from this world. That is _not_ dumb.”

Her thumb was drawing circles on Selena’s skin.

“Yeah, I know already.” Selena was speaking way too casually to Camilla to be acceptable in a public space. There were a thousand thoughts swirling in her head, and they hadn’t settled yet. Still, that was no excuse. Maybe she could brush it off on her near death later. “It was for a dumb reason. I’ll explain later. Anyway, I’m sorry.”

She didn’t miss the look Beruka and Camilla shot each other. Sakura hovered in the corner of her vision, looking eager to help.

“Selena,” Camilla said slowly, pulling away slightly. “That was quite the experience just now. Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine.” She needed a bath, but that was nothing new. “Don’t worry about me. All I’ve done today is stress you out. Ugh.”

A thought suddenly entered Selena’s head. She sat up.

“Wait, where are they?” she asked, swiveling her head. She couldn’t spot them, but it was only a matter of time. “I have to—”

She tried to stand. She was immediately pushed back down.

“No,” Beruka said, blunt. Her arm was immovable, pinning Selena in place. “Stay down.”

“Yes!” Sakura squeaked. She hovered over Camillla’s shoulder. “I—I should check you over! We don’t know if you’ve actually recovered or what happened yet.”

“I know what happened!” Selena protested.

Camilla hummed. “Then you can tell us while Sakura checks you over.”

“But there’s no time!”

Selena squirmed despite knowing it was pointless. It would have been difficult to escape with just Camilla holding her, and it would have been inadvisable with just Beruka. With both of them holding Selena down, escape was entirely impossible.

Still, she tried.

“I have to tell him to stay!” Selena protested. She could barely move in their grasp. “Those idiots—if he thinks there’s a chance—and if _he_ won’t go, then Odin won’t leave him behind— _Ugh_!”

She’d nearly wriggled out of their grasp before Beruka all but slammed her into Camilla’s chest. Camilla wrapped her arms around Selena from behind, keeping her securely in place. Selena sat upright, but with Camilla at her back and Beruka in front of her, she was just as trapped as before.

“Your health comes first,” Camilla said. “Don’t move. That’s an order.”

Selena had never disobeyed an order from Camilla before, but she was sorely tempted to now.

“You may have a head injury,” Beruka said, firm. “Sakura will check you over now.”

Sakura rushed to take Beruka’s place as Beruka shifted to the side. She knelt in front of Selena.

“Please stay still,” Sakura requested.

“I’m fine!” Selena protested, squirming a little despite the order not to. “He’s the one who—”

She choked slightly as Camilla’s arms tightened around her torso. The last of the air left Selena’s lungs, and though Camilla loosened up right after, Selena knew a warning when she got one. She had to stay still.

Sakura didn’t seem to notice the warning. She wrinkled her nose as she felt for Selena’s pulse. “Who are you talking about?”

Selena couldn’t crane her neck far enough to see past all the bodies crowded in front of her. Her boys were too far away.

“Laslow!”

 

 

 

 

Selena was gone. She had vanished into thin air.

“It seems she has joined the Nohrians,” Anankos said. “I’m relieved to know she’s safe again.”

He sounded genuine. He didn’t seem to be looking at the portals he had opened, but then again, it was difficult to know where he was looking with the hood over his head. Laslow didn’t seem to be paying attention.

Odin frowned. He look at Anankos. “I’m sorry but might I request a moment alone with my companion here?”

Anankos nodded. “Of course.”

He moved as though he were going to step away and then hesitated.

“If this is the last time we speak,” he said. “Then I wish to thank you both again. Truly. You have done so much for myself and my people.”

Odin grinned, puffing up with pride. “Of course! A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

Anankos smiled, small and genuine. “I will never forget you, my friends.”

With that he vanished, leaving only empty air and flattened grass where he once stood. Odin desperately hoped they would not see each other again anytime soon. Though they might, if things went poorly after this.

He turned back to Laslow, who had been examining Selena’s portal while Odin had been distracted. Laslow barely turned his head to acknowledge Odin staring, not tearing his eyes away from the portal.

“It looks like Selena’s bonds were strong enough,” Laslow mused.

Through the window, Odin saw Camilla holding Selena close. Beruka hovered over both of them protectively. He felt his chest loosen in relief with the knowledge she had made it back to the others safely. Anankos had said as much, but seeing the truth for himself was always best. Beruka and Camilla would never allow Selena to do anything too risky. They’d be watching her like a hawk for the next few days.

He thought about Leo and Niles. A quick glance into his own portal showed him that they were certainly not in the same celebratory mood Camilla and Beruka were, though he obviously hadn’t expected them to be.

They looked wrecked.

He couldn’t see their faces, tilted away from the portal as they were, but he saw his own body. He saw the way it had begun to fade, too pale and transparent. He saw the way Leo and Niles leaned over him, shielding him from the world and everything but themselves.

Odin ached.

He didn’t look for long. It would have made what he was about to do even more difficult.

“I’m willing to bet our bonds are strong enough as well,” he said, stealing a glance at the third portal. He gestured to it. “Lord Xander looks quite upset at your having fallen, you know.”

Laslow took a quick peek, then looked at the ground.

“Yes,” he said. “I suppose he does.”

Odin sighed. Laslow’s lips twisted downward at the sound.

“What are you doing here?” Odin asked. “What’re you thinking?”

He had a hunch, but he wanted Laslow to say the words himself. A beat passed before Laslow answered. He still wouldn’t look at Odin.

“Doesn’t it just seem so far away?” Laslow asked. “That world… The world where our parents are alive. With our friends.”

“We have friends here,” Odin reminded him. “Family, maybe.”

“Maybe,” Laslow echoed.

Odin closed the distance between them, placing a hand on Laslow’s shoulder.

“We talked about this before,” he said. He tried to catch Laslow’s eye and failed. “Remember? Just because that world is distant now doesn’t mean it was a dream. We don’t have to go back to prove that to ourselves.” He squeezed Laslow’s shoulder. “The people here really care about us too, and neither side would want us to throw our lives away.”

Laslow looked at his hands. “But what if we aren’t throwing them away? What if… What if we could really go back?”

“But we can’t,” Odin told him. It hurt to see Laslow flinch, but it had to be said. “We’re just human. Like Anankos said, without a miracle, we can’t hop between realms.”

“He said there was a chance.”

“A _small_ chance.” Odin looked up. Above him hung a blue, blue sky. “What else is this about? It can’t just be going home.”

Laslow looked up as well. Odin wondered what he saw.

“What _is_ home?” Laslow asked. “What do we have waiting for us here?”

Odin digested this. “What do you mean?”

For the first time in a while, Laslow looked his way.

“I mean, what do we have _here_?” Laslow’s eyes were wide. “What future do we have? And with whom? Nobody knows us, truly.”

Odin dropped his hand, his arms falling to his sides. He looked at Laslow with disbelief.

“You know that’s not true,” he said. “The future is what you make it, and I know for a fact that you’ve gotten close to those outside our circle. I’ve seen you laughing with Felicia and Mozu and Keaton. You’re not isolated here.”

It was a bit underhanded, but Odin thought Laslow needed the reminder anyway. He took a deep breath.

“Didn’t you once say you’d be happy if you served Lord Xander for the rest of your days?”

Laslow winced. Good. That meant Odin’s words were getting through.

Laslow pursed his lips. “And then what? I stand by and watch as Lord Xander marries? As he raises children with—”

 _With someone else_ , Odin finished. His heart panged with sympathy.

“Laslow…” Odin tried to think of the proper words to say. “Lord Xander is not as unattainable as you think.”

Laslow did not wear heartache on his sleeve; it was plastered over every inch of him like a painted sign.

“My friend,” Laslow said. “I am very happy for you and Selena. But not all of us are quite so lucky.”

It physically hurt to see Laslow—so upbeat, so willing to help anyone—look so sad.

Odin opened his mouth to reply, but something new caught his eye. He looked at the window to the moral world.

He blindly reached out and squeezed Laslow’s arm, urging him to look. “I think you might be wrong about that.”

 

 

 

 

Elise and Sakura were conversing in quick, hushed tones, but in all honesty, Xander stopped listening the moment it became apparent neither of them held the solution to Laslow’s predicament. Sakura had rushed over in a frenzy to inform Elise that Selena had awoken, but she hadn’t said how. It became quickly apparent that she didn’t _know_ how. She didn’t hold the secret to saving Laslow. Nobody did. Especially not Xander.

He admitted that ignoring them was very unbecoming behavior of the man who would soon be king, but he wanted a moment to wallow in his grief. He supposed that was unbecoming as well.

No. He supposed he was _already_ king. Anankos had devoured Father—what was left of Father—during the battle, hadn’t he? When they returned to Nohr, there would have to be a crowning ceremony, but as first in line, Xander was now king in all but name.  

He was king without Laslow at his side.

Hadn’t Laslow sworn that he would see Xander ascend the throne? Hadn’t Xander once said Laslow could do anything he wished so long as he still drew breath? Their words really had meant nothing in the end.

Xander the Helpless King, who watched his people wither before his eyes. That was who he would be.

Laslow was pale and lifeless in his arms, though he still drew breath. He hadn’t broken that promise, at least. Yet. He soon would. Xander could see the broad stretch of his palm through Laslow’s skin. Tiny, shimmering specks of light lifted from Laslow’s skin, fizzling into nothingness mere inches from his body. Xander hated them. Every new shimmer was a reminder that Laslow was slipping through his fingers.

“Um, Xander?”

Xander looked up. Dimly, he was aware of the ache in his neck, of how tensely he’d been sitting. Tearing his eyes away from Laslow for even a moment took all his willpower. Laslow did not have many moments left.

“Sakura said…” Elise checked over her shoulder as if to make sure the other royal was still there. Sakura had taken cover several feet behind Elise, holding her rod in front of her as though it would shield her from Xander’s eye.

Elise straightened, turning back around. In the back of his mind, Xander thought she had handled the stress of war well. She would be a wonderful queen one day.

“We don’t know everything yet,” Elise said. “But Selena said it was because of the people who cared about her here that she was able to wake up. So you should tell Laslow how you feel!”

Xander closed his eyes. He opened them again. Nothing changed. He was not asleep.

“Excuse me?” He was vaguely aware of how dull his voice sounded.

Elise shrank back briefly before stepping closer.

“I know you’d never admit it,” she said, looking determined. “But you really, really liked Laslow. And I think he really, really likes you too. So if you tell him that—” Elise glanced down at Laslow’s unconscious face and deflated slightly, though she didn’t pause. “—then he might wake up!”

Everything seemed to be happening at a snail’s pace. Xander mulled a response over in his mind. He was terribly aware of the sands in the hourglass ticking away, leaving his time with Laslow significantly shorter than what he had once believed.

Finally, Xander said, “There is magic at work here. I don’t think…”

He paused to look at Laslow again, wondering if Laslow could still hear him. He doubted it.

“How I do or do not feel doesn’t matter,” he finished. Not against magic like this, it didn’t. Words would not win against action.

Elise wasn’t one to let him wallow in pity for even a minute, however.

“It totally does!” she insisted. “Sakura said that _Selena_ said she could hear you guys! Right?”

She swiveled to look at the Hoshidan princess, who looked very startled to be the sudden center of attention.

“O-Oh, yes!” Sakura agreed. “I admit that I thought she had been hallucinating at first, but Selena insisted and there might be truth to it. There is magic at work here, but they can fight it.” She ducked her head, too nervous to maintain eye contact any longer. “At least, Selena says she did.”

Xander looked down. He had no idea if simply asking Laslow not to leave would work like they were implying. Elise would be a wonderful ruler one day, but she was still just a girl. So was Sakura. They were young and more prone to believing flights of fancy.

Elise stomped her foot.

“Xander!” she cried. There was dirt on her cheek and a bruise at her hairline. “Don’t just sit there! Laslow will disappear!”

Xander blinked, startled. He couldn’t remember Elise ever taking such a tone with him before. He had always been worried he intimidated her on some level, but if that were true, Elise now held herself with all the dignity someone of her standing deserved. Behind the sorrow that had settled in his chest, there was pride.

How foolish he had been. Hadn’t he learned not to doubt his family by now? How lucky he was to have such siblings at his side to guide him when he faltered.

“…Yes,” he rasped. “You’re right.”

Perhaps Elise and Sakura were more prone to believing in fairytales. Even so, they deserved his respect, and this was his last chance to act. They deserved more.

 _Laslow_ deserved more.

Xander was aware of the eyes on him, but he willed himself not to take notice. Laslow was all that mattered now.

“I once said that it was not your company I required,” he said, low enough that he hoped only Laslow could hear. “Only that you continued to draw breath. I see now that I was mistaken. I sorely desire your company as well.”

He leaned in closer. “Laslow, if you can hear me, you have been a fine retainer and an even better friend. My heart would be yours if only you spent the rest of your life with me.”

He wished to say more, but he didn’t think there was time. So Xander did something he had desired to do for years now.

He adjusted Laslow in his grip, cupping Laslow’s cheek with his now free hand. He brushed his thumb under Laslow’s eye, surprising himself with how solid Laslow still felt. Perhaps Laslow was not as far away as he had once believed.

He leaned down and captured Laslow’s lips in his own.

 

 

 

 

Laslow’s jaw dropped so far Odin was astonished when it didn’t hit the ground.

“Lord Xander—I—”

His face and neck resembled one of Hoshido’s sakura trees. Odin grinned and clapped Laslow on the back. Laslow reeled forward, not because Odin hit him particularly hard but because Laslow was so obviously overwhelmed.

“He can’t hear you,” Odin reminded him. “You’ll have to tell him yourself.”

Laslow stared.

“I think you have a future after all,” Odin said.

Laslow swallowed. He vanished.

Then it was only Odin alone in an open field. It sounded like a story he’d once been told.

He looked at his own portal to see his body hadn't yet disappeared, though Niles and Leo hadn’t moved in minutes. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

“Sorry to make you wait,” he said.

 

 

 

 

When Laslow woke up, he was aware of two things. The first was Elise’s squealing, which took a moment to identify as sounds of joy and not that of a painful death. The second was the unsure look on Xander’s face as he gazed at his sister.

That same look quickly morphed into one of relief when Xander realized Laslow was awake.

“Nice kiss, milord,” Laslow teased before anything else could be said.

A large part of his brain immediately began to screech at inhuman decibels for being so cheeky with Lord Xander (which looked a lot like: _“ahhhhHHHHHHHHHH—”_ ), but most of Laslow was still recovering from the ideas that he'd nearly died and also that Lord Xander really, truly returned his feelings. So the fact he was momentarily too dazed to work up a blush worked in his favor.

He thought.

Probably.

If Lord Xander had him executed later, he would try to plea momentary insanity.

“I don’t want to presume,” Laslow said, riding his sudden burst of confidence as far as it would take him. “but I hope you’re willing to make an honest man out of me.”

That was too bold, even for him. Laslow finally felt his face heat up. His embarrassment must have been obvious if the amused look on Xander’s face was any indication. He backtracked. “That is, I hope you weren’t just saying things.”

He didn’t think his heart could take it if everything Xander had done turned out to be false. But he had also never viewed his lord as a dishonest man.

Xander propped his arm under Laslow’s back, helping Laslow sit upright. Their fingers tangled with each other’s. Neither rose from the ground. Laslow didn’t think he could part from Xander just yet, even for a moment.

“’Nice kiss,’ you said?” Xander mused, eyes merry. “I think I can do better.”

He moved in closer, his lips intoxicatingly close to Laslow’s own, but it wasn’t until Laslow leaned in, returning the gesture, that Xander relaxed. Laslow smiled into the kiss. Xander was surprisingly gentle. But Laslow supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised at all.

The moment their lips touched, Elise cheered as loudly as her lungs would allow, clapping in celebration. They weren’t alone on the battlefield, and a few other voices laughed or cheered along. Somebody yelled, _“It’s about time!”_ It might have been Selena.

Laslow had never liked having so many eyes on him at once, but for once he made an exception.

 

 

 

 

Niles was the first to admit that he often relished the suffering of others, but the look on Leo’s face was one he would have paid a thousand times over to never see again. Niles could only describe it as pure agony.

He hated it.

Word had quickly spread that Selena had woken up a few moments ago, and now there was cheering coming from Lord Xander’s corner of the battlefield. Laslow had probably experienced a miracle as well. Two of the three fallen were up again. All that was left was Odin.

Who had given zero indication of recovering anytime soon.

It figured. The one Niles cared about the most was the one who looked least likely to make it. Of course.

Odin looked terrible. The transparency hadn’t been too appalling before, but now he resembled a ghost. He was completely see-through, like glass. Niles hated that too.

If Odin was going to awaken, he was running severely short on time.

“Niles,” Leo said. He didn’t say anything else.

Niles reached out and squeezed Leo’s forearm. Leo’s lips were pressed into a thin line.

Niles had experienced a rough enough life by his own standards. For a prince, he thought Leo had as well. They should have been used to loss at this point.

Instead, the empty space in Niles’ chest felt raw and bloody. Nobody ever got used to loss. Not really. It always felt as hollow as it had in its first moments.

Odin felt hollow too. Niles could barely feel the weight of Odin in his arms. He was light as air.

“Are you giving up on me already?”

Niles’ eyes snapped to the body in his arms, disbelief etched into his face. Odin suddenly looked remarkably solid for a ghost. He suddenly felt a lot heavier as well.

“Have I not shown you enough?” Odin continued, boastful and stupid as ever. He tried to sit up, but Niles held him tight. “I, Odin Dark, shall never—”

Leo shut him up with a kiss. That was Niles’ preferred method of quieting a person as well (before making them loud again, if you caught his drift), though he was a little stunned at Leo’s passion. It wasn’t a side that came out all that often. Though Niles also thought that was part of the charm.

(He used Leo and Odin’s distraction to ground himself. Odin was fine, apparently. Leo was fine. They were both fine.

Everything was fine.)

Never one to let an opportunity pass, the moment Leo’s lips parted from Odin’s, Niles replaced them. He kissed more roughly than Leo, wanting to feel the solid weight of Odin under his touch. He relished the sound of Odin’s breath catching, both because it was Niles who caused it and because Odin still had breath to catch. He made sure to bite Odin’s lip as he pulled away.

“Ouch!” Odin gingerly touched his bottom lip with his finger, mouth twisted in surprise. “What was that for?”

“For making Lord Leo worry,” Niles said.

He half expected Odin to crack an _“Oh, so you weren’t worried?”_ joke, but instead Odin merely wilted.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Niles rolled his stiff shoulder. “Yes, well. You should be.”

Leo sniffed. They both pretended it wasn’t as wet as it sounded. “What _was_ that just now? Odin, do you know what happened?”

“Yes,” Odin admitted, surprising both of them. At least, Niles was surprised, and he didn’t miss the way Leo’s shoulders hitched ever so slightly. Odin shifted in his arms. “There was something I failed to be honest about previously. But no more. I want to be entirely truthful from this point forward.”

He looked earnest and determined. Niles flicked his forehead.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Niles chided. His heart still felt half-encased in icy fear even with Odin staring up at him, annoyed. Alive. “What is it? Do you have some lovechild we don’t know about? A whirlwind romance you had years ago?”

“What? No!”

Niles sighed. “You’re so plain.”

He didn’t miss the way Leo’s grip on Odin’s hand had loosened, how his body language had begun to relax. He didn’t think Odin did either.

“Answer this first,” Leo said. “Are you in any danger now?”

Odin shook his head. “No. I’m sorry for making you worry. I had to make sure Laslow got back before I did.”

“Got back?” Niles echoed. He thought this would be a long story indeed.

Odin hummed as Leo and Niles helped him to his feet. He didn’t even wobble a little bit, that dastard. Niles had expected at least a little bit of humor after all that worry he had put them through.

Part of him wanted to protest Odin leaving his arms so soon after his sudden recovery, but there was a time and a place for that. Odin could resume being held the next time they found a private bedroom. There was no way Niles and Leo would allow anything less, of course.

“I’m not sure where to begin,” Odin admitted almost sheepishly.

“The beginning would be nice,” Leo said. He was still holding Odin’s hand. Niles made sure to knock his shoulder into Leo’s and was rewarded with a small smile and a grateful look. Niles cherished both as much as he cherished Odin solid and breathing in front of him.

Leo’s horse stomped a hoof, impatient after standing in one place for so long with no water or hay or enemies around.

Odin opened his mouth, then seemed to have second thoughts. Niles had the amusing feeling he was planning something.

“Did you know,” Odin said. “that my mother was a princess?”

Leo choked.

Niles rolled his eyes. Then, as Leo huffed in disbelief, he smirked. He thought he might wake up in a cold sweat for the next few nights, but knowing the war was over, that the danger was passed, that these two were by his side, safe and sound and whole—

“Be honest, Odin.”

“I am! I swear it!”

Niles wouldn’t have traded it for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to make things as clear as possible here, but I'm sorry if anything is too confusing. I edited some, but this was mostly self-indulgent, so I didn't want to do a total rewrite or anything. I hope you enjoyed it anyway! (I said I would write something more blatantly romantic and I finally did, ayyyy~)
> 
> I had the retainers still refer to the royals as Lord Leo, Lady Camilla, and Lord Xander despite being in a relationship because of 1. Habit, 2. Public Image, and 3. A Bit of Power Imbalance. The power imbalance isn't really negative; it's more of a "you are royalty and do hold a lot of power and I'm acknowledging that because it exists whether we want it to or not." Does that make sense? I hope it didn't bother anyone too much. It's like a respect thing. The title would probably be dropped a lot more in private. You might notice that it's used a lot less when thinking as opposed to speaking as well. (Laslow might be more prone to thinking it because he's not in a relationship with Xander until the end, though.)
> 
> Sidenote: Originally I was a little iffy at Niles' being so affected by Odin's recovery for some reason (for example, needing a moment to ground himself), but then I thought about how, as a person who lived a rough life from an early age, he's someone who understands how great loss can be and how easily you can lose everything, so that worry is more present in his mind than maybe in some others. So I hope nobody views his reactions as OOC either. I'm always up for discussing my decisions though, if anybody has any questions!
> 
> This was my first time writing from the perspective for a lot of these characters, so it was a bit of a challenge. I hope I got them mostly right. It's a learning process. (Also I grew to love Elise even more as I wrote this.)
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment below or hmu at my [tumblr!](http://someobscurereference.tumblr.com/)


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